Push-ups and sit-ups develop upper body strength, endurance, and mobility, and specifically prepare Soldiers for APFT performance. Push-ups and sit-ups build upper body and trunk muscular strength and endurance by challenging control of body weight. The PSD promotes muscular endurance without the repetitive motions that often lead to overuse injuries. They improve mobility by progressively moving the major joints through a full, controlled range of motion.

TRAINING AREA

Any level area of adequate size is satisfactory for conduct of the PSD.

UNIFORM

Soldiers will wear IPFU or ACUs and boots.

EQUIPMENT

Stop watch.

FORMATION

For the most efficient instruction, the ideal unit size is one platoon. Larger units up to a battalion can successfully perform these drills if properly taught and mastered at the small unit level. The extended rectangular formation is prescribed.

LEADERSHIP

A PRT leader and AI are required to instruct and lead timed sets of push-ups and sit-ups. The leader must know how to teach these exercises. He must know the commands, cadence counts, cumulative count, formations, starting positions, and how to effectively use AIs (Chapter 7).

METHODOLOGY

The PSD enhances APFT performance in the push-up and sit-up events. The PSD is conducted as follows:

The first and third ranks conduct the push-up first. The second and fourth ranks count repetitions out loud and monitor technique to ensure the Soldiers perform the push-ups to Army standard (hand placement is determined by the Soldier according to Appendix A) for 30 to 60 seconds. After the first and third ranks complete the push-ups, the ranks swap places: the second and fourth ranks do pushups and the first and third ranks count and monitor proper technique. After all four ranks complete the first timed set of push-ups; the same process is repeated for sit-ups.

The sit-up is conducted the same as the push-up: first and third perform, second and fourth count and monitor technique, but also hold the feet of the first and third ranks. Again, when the first and third ranks finish, the ranks swap out again, and the second and fourth ranks perform while the first and third ranks count, monitor technique, and hold the feet.

Timed sets continue like this, alternating between push-ups and sit-ups and between paired ranks, until all the desired number of timed sets have been completed. The Soldiers should not perform all of their sets of timed push-ups and then perform all of their sets of timed sit-ups. Alternating allows proper work to rest ratio to provide the required recovery. Avoid performing all of one exercise or the other.

As with any activity, PRT leaders should perform the exercises with the Soldiers in order to determine the appropriate intensity of the PRT session.

PRECISION

Push-ups and sit-ups lose much of their value unless performed exactly as prescribed. Precision should never be compromised for quantity of repetitions or speed of movement.

PROGRESSION

Soldiers perform no more than five repetitions of each exercise while learning and practicing the PSD. They perform timed sets of push-ups and sit-ups during the activity part of the PRT session. They perform as many correct repetitions of push-ups and sit-ups during the 30-second timed sets as they can, progressing to 60-second timed sets. Soldiers that fail with time remaining in the timed set of push-ups will go to their knees and continue to perform the push-up in the six-point stance until time has expired within the timed set.

INTEGRATION

Performing timed sets of push-ups and sit-ups integrates the components of strength, endurance, and mobility.

COMMANDS

The PSD enhances APFT performance in the push-up and sit-up events. The PSD is conducted as follows:

The first and third ranks conduct the push-up first. The second and fourth ranks count repetitions out loud and monitor technique to ensure the Soldiers perform the push-ups to Army standard (hand placement is determined by the Soldier according to Appendix A) for 30 to 60 seconds. After the first and third ranks complete the push-ups, the ranks swap places: the second and fourth ranks do pushups and the first and third ranks count and monitor proper technique. After all four ranks complete the first timed set of push-ups; the same process is repeated for sit-ups.

The sit-up is conducted the same as the push-up: first and third perform, second and fourth count and monitor technique, but also hold the feet of the first and third ranks. Again, when the first and third ranks finish, the ranks swap out again, and the second and fourth ranks perform while the first and third ranks count, monitor technique, and hold the feet.

Timed sets continue like this, alternating between push-ups and sit-ups and between paired ranks, until all the desired number of timed sets have been completed. The Soldiers should not perform all of their sets of timed push-ups and then perform all of their sets of timed sit-ups. Alternating allows proper work to rest ratio to provide the required recovery. Avoid performing all of one exercise or the other.

As with any activity, PRT leaders should perform the exercises with the Soldiers in order to determine the appropriate intensity of the PRT session.

BODY SEGMENTS TRAINED

The PSD consists of two exercises that train the body segments listed in Table 9-6. Refer to Appendix A for illustrations and descriptions of the push-up and sit-up IAW the APFT.

Table 9-6. Body segments trained in the conduct of PSD.

From: FM 7-22 October 2012

(Page last modified Feb 2, 2013)

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